Five of the 16 Hong Kong nanotechnology related research projects funded by government and non-government sectors in the past five years have produced deliverables for transfer to local industry for further development.
Secretary for Commerce, Industry and Technology of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government Henry Tang said in a written reply at the Legislative Council Wednesday that Hong Kong will continue with its effort in sustaining the momentum and further enhancing HK's capability in applied research and development in nanotechnology.
He said that over the past five years, a total of 160.9 million HK dollars (US$20.62 million) was allocated from public sector resources, notably grants from the Research Grants Council and the Innovation and Technology Fund, to nanotechnology research carried out at local universities.
He said the grants have attracted an additional contribution of36.7 million HK dollars (US$4.7 million) from industry through donation and sponsorship for HK's nano-tech research projects.
Tang said HK's approach is to focus on specific niche areas, mainly in nano-materials, where it has the strength. A Hong Kong university successfully fabricated the world's single walled carbon nanotubes with a diameter of 0.4 nanometer in 2000.
HK universities' research work on carbon nanotubes and nanostructures have also been published in highly prestigious international journals such as Nature and Science in the last two years.
He said his department has identified two projects submitted by local universities that have merits for funding this year.
(Xinhua News Agency April 10, 2003)
